St. Cloud State's LeBlanc wins Hobey Baker Award

By MICK HATTENSt. Cloud Times, Minn.

PITTSBURGH - St. Cloud State University has its first winner of the Hobey Baker Award.

Drew LeBlanc, a senior center from Hermantown, Minn., was named the winner of the honor, which is given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey. The other two finalists for the award were sophomore forward Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College and senior goalie Eric Hartzell of Quinnipiac University.

LeBlanc led the Huskies in scoring with 13 goals and 37 assists in 42 games, leading St. Cloud State to a share of the program's first WCHA regular season title and its first trip to the Frozen Four by winning the NCAA Midwest Regional. He went into the Frozen Four leading Division I in assists and is the first player to earn WCHA Player of the Year and WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year honors in the same season.

He had 42 goals and 105 assists in 170 career games with the Huskies. LeBlanc is an undrafted free agent.